


Mercy of Rose

by Rhianona



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-26
Updated: 2008-03-26
Packaged: 2017-10-10 12:23:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/99698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhianona/pseuds/Rhianona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack's POV and thoughts on Rose and the Doctor at the end of the 'Doctor Dances'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mercy of Rose

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: Re-watched The Empty Child and the Doctor Dances last night and decided to write a little piece from Jack's POV on what he thinks of the Doctor and Rose at the end of the latter episode. Also, I'm just trying to write stuff at the moment. *shrugs* practice makes perfect after all! Concrit more than welcome.

Jack may often act it, but he is no fool. He knows that were it up to the Doctor, he would be little more than dust, sprinkled amongst the stars along with his ship and the German bomb. He doesn't know what Rose sees in him that made her convince the Doctor to find and rescue him, but he wants to be worthy of it. She is brightness and light, all that is goodness and he, well he is flawed.

Oh he knows she is not perfect - she strings Mickey along with the promise of a relationship while traveling and flirting with the Doctor and he and she doesn't offer second chances once she decides a being is evil. But if she decides you are worth saving - then nothing will stop her from ensuring it.

The Doctor is as broken as he is in some ways; Jack doesn't know what happened to make the Doctor the cynical being he is - they don't have that type of relationship - but he recognizes the deep hurt in his eyes. He sees that pain in the mirror every morning. When the Doctor is with Rose though, he becomes a different person, lighter and happier. He suspects she has the same effect on him.

Jack respects the boundaries the Doctor set on that first night. Rose is the Doctor's and he is not to touch her. And while he enjoys flirting with anything that stands still long enough, he changes his interactions with her to that of sister. He likes traveling on the TARDIS, likes traveling with the Doctor and Rose and doesn't want to spoil that. And he knows that the moment he steps out of line the Doctor will encourage him in not so subtle ways to leave the TARDIS and do so in a way that would not hurt Rose. So he lightly flirts with the Doctor, with Rose, with anyone that comes his way and if he feels the need for something more, takes care of it off the TARDIS, away from Rose.

Slowly, Jack stops looking for an easy con, stops looking out for himself first and others second. He's been so angry since he woke up that day missing two years of his memories and not knowing what happened that lashing out at the world seems as logical as anything else he could do. But Rose has made him realize the consequences behind his actions, has forced him to be a better person.

His personality doesn't change because he's Jack Harkness and confidence is as much a part of him as anything else. But he does want to be worthy of Rose's mercy.

He thinks the Doctor sees that and that is why he's allowed to stay.


End file.
